Study Finds PCMHs with NCQA Recognition Drive Health Care Costs Down

August 08, 2014 04:12 PM Eastern Daylight Time

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A
new independent study, conducted by RTI International and published
in the Health Services Research journal, finds the NCQA
Patient-Centered Medical (PCMH) model reduces costs and utilization of
some health care services, when compared to practices that have not
earned the NCQA seal. The study involved practices serving participants
in the Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) program. NCQA has experts ready to
answer your questions about the study.

Key findings include:

Practices that received PCMH Recognition from NCQA during the study
saw a 5 percent greater reduction in average Medicare payments than
their non-accredited counterparts - with 2/3 of the difference due to
a decline in payments to acute care hospitals.

Overall emergency room visit declined by 6 percent once a practice
received PCMH Recognition from NCQA.

“I am proud of the gains achieved by our accredited partners,” NCQA
President Peggy O’Kane said. “These results, coupled with those from a
number of previous studies, make clear that Patient-Centered Medical
Homes are helping to meet peoples’ health care needs in the appropriate
setting and reducing unnecessary costs and procedures.”

NCQA experts are available to answer any questions you may have about
the study or our recognition program for PCMHs. Please contact Andy
Reynolds or Apoorva Stull to
arrange a conversation.

NCQA
will host a briefing in early September to review the findings from the
study. Stay tuned for more information.